Epilogue (Wednesday 10 to Saturday 13 August 2016)

I woke on Wednesday actually feeling quite healthy. The hotel breakfast was befitting the quality of the rest of the place and at 9:30am, I was queuing outside the Cathedral to pay my respects to the man himself - St James. Once inside, I found the brief moments placing my hand on the Apostle statue, and then viewing the silver coffin itself, to be strangely moving.

Then it was the wait for the traditional noon pilgrim mass, where I'd arrived very early to secure myself a front row seat. Unfortunately, like yesterday, there was no swinging of the fabled botafumeiro, but it was a good show nonetheless. I think I understood a couple of words (like, 'no flash photography'), but that was about it.

The rest of the day was spent pottering around Santiago souvenir outlets, and a couple more substantial places, including a few final, wistful, moments in the pilgrims square, before returning for a quiet night at the hotel.

Come Thursday, with my pilgrim days quickly receding, my long-distance flier days were just about to start. They turned out to be as tedious as I had anticipated - via taxi from the hotel to Santiago airport, then to Madrid, to London, to Singapore, to Australia. From start to finish, it was a mind-numbing 39 hours spent in aeroplanes or in, getting to, or getting back home from, airports. And to add to the tedium, my backpack didn't make the transfer at Madrid. I was faithfully promised at Heathrow that, once located, it would be sent on to Sydney and likely arrive in a few days. Hmmmm.

My touchdown at Sydney airport, and the train and bus home on a chilly but sunny Saturday morning, provided a welcome relief.

P.S. Remember how I mentioned in one of my first posts that I planned to run the City to Surf race in Sydney (from the CBD to Bondi Beach) the day after I got back, and suggested that “By that time, I imagine I’ll probably have to remind myself not to take my walking poles to the start line.” Well, I didn’t have to worry about the walking poles - they were part of my lost luggage. It turns out my difficulties were much more elementary. I managed to sleep through the alarm the next morning and missed the race entirely!